Attempt to Divert Attention Away From the Root Cause of Terrorism - Verbal Attack on the Islamic Rebuplic of Iran

Whilst we appreciate the Pakistani government's attempts to eradicate terrorism, in these desperate conditions where innocents are being killed daily, during only a number of weeks of your government's rule, over 400 innocent citizens, police and other military personnel and foreign tourists have become targets of terrorism.

So-called religious authorities, purporting to be learned men, who are actually closely linked to blacklisted terrorist organizations, have purposely attempted to divert the attention of normal citizens away from the perpetrators of the atrocious acts of terror, through lies and deceit.

An example of this is the verbal attack launched against our dear neighboring country, the Islamic Republic of Iran. On the program "Beyond Headlines", broadcast on 16 August 2013, on Din News channel, a discussion took place in which Mr Tahir Ashrafi purposefully and incorrectly blamed the recent terror attacks in Quetta on the Islamic Republic of Iran. These comments were made knowing full well the effect they would have and to further strain the relationship between these two countries. The sole purpose was to hide the faces of the actual terrorists which are hell-bent on destroying any sign of civilization and democracy.

An intellectual debate based on the expression of varying political opinions would have been welcome, however, comments made in order to protect terrorists, who are carrying out terror acts to demolish our country and its people, will never be tolerated.

We respectfully request you to take notice of these people and the statements they have made to viciously divide our nation and our people. Action must be taken to stop the detrimental mindset of certain factions from growing further and to cull such negative and poisonous ideologies which threaten to destroy the positive efforts of the ruling government. Mr Ashrafi's membership of the Council of Islamic Ideology should be revoked immediately.

Bearing this in mind, we request PEMRA to enforce stringent guidelines for broadcasting upon TV channels in in regards to the content that they show.